A30 bodied A35 van

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Neil Evans
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Re: A30 bodied A35 van

Post by Neil Evans »

Paulc wrote:
My view is that in 1962 someone brave should have chopped the A35 van and MM range and produced a proper A40 van (long wheelbase version)? The A40 Cambridge van soldiered on until 1973 in a body shape that was last used in a saloon in 1958!
The MM was supposed to go in 1957. Instead its replacement, the Wolseley 1500, competed with it... :whistle:

A40 Farina should have gone too, or not even have been launched in the first place as it directly competed with the A35 for two years.

Front wheel drive was the future so perhaps Austin should have made a van based on the 1100/1300 countryman... :thumbs:
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Big Daddy
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Re: A30 bodied A35 van

Post by Big Daddy »

Neil Evans wrote:Front wheel drive was the future so perhaps Austin should have made a van based on the 1100/1300 countryman... :thumbs:
... :mrgreen:
BMC 1100 van.jpg
BMC 1100 van.jpg (11.06 KiB) Viewed 1142 times
BMC 1100.jpg
BMC 1100.jpg (16.83 KiB) Viewed 1137 times
http://www.aronline.co.uk/blogs/commerc ... spick-ups/
http://www.ado16.info/guest_writers_jones.shtml
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Neil Evans
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Re: A30 bodied A35 van

Post by Neil Evans »

Export only for a guess, like the A40 Farina van that was a 'special' built for Finland and Portugal... :thumbs:
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Big Daddy
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Re: A30 bodied A35 van

Post by Big Daddy »

Domestic market it seems... :whistle:

In 1967 BMC turned it's attention to building an 1100 van, however, they only managed to commission 50. These vans were used by dealers and service stations to ship parts. The self levelling suspension would have made the van a viable proposition and could have been a popular commercial.
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Re: A30 bodied A35 van

Post by A40FARINAGURU »

Big Daddy wrote:
Neil Evans wrote:Front wheel drive was the future so perhaps Austin should have made a van based on the 1100/1300 countryman... :thumbs:
... :mrgreen:
BMC 1100 van.jpg
BMC 1100.jpg
http://www.aronline.co.uk/blogs/commerc ... spick-ups/
http://www.ado16.info/guest_writers_jones.shtml
dad saw a 1100 van in the flesh near Longbridge in the late 60's :thumbs:
Nick Bayliss

Club's A35 (Saloon) Registrar, South Midlands Area Contact

Email, a35@austina30a35ownersclub.co.uk

Connected with A30/A35's for 63 years

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A40FARINAGURU
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Re: A30 bodied A35 van

Post by A40FARINAGURU »

Neil Evans wrote:Export only for a guess, like the A40 Farina van that was a 'special' built for Finland and Portugal... :thumbs:
i believe the rest of the interior & rear side windows were sent out separately to join up with the 'vans' once they had arrived in Finland or Portugal :whistle: :whistle:
Nick Bayliss

Club's A35 (Saloon) Registrar, South Midlands Area Contact

Email, a35@austina30a35ownersclub.co.uk

Connected with A30/A35's for 63 years

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Neil Evans
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Re: A30 bodied A35 van

Post by Neil Evans »

According to Barney Sharratt's, 'Post War Baby Austins' they were fully trimmed Countryman models and had "six little spot welds holding the panels in"...
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Re: A30 bodied A35 van

Post by A40FARINAGURU »

Neil Evans wrote:According to Barney Sharratt's, 'Post War Baby Austins' they were fully trimmed Countryman models and had "six little spot welds holding the panels in"...
not sure about that 100%
Nick Bayliss

Club's A35 (Saloon) Registrar, South Midlands Area Contact

Email, a35@austina30a35ownersclub.co.uk

Connected with A30/A35's for 63 years

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Neil Evans
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Re: A30 bodied A35 van

Post by Neil Evans »

There's a photo of one in PWBA and you need to remember too that Barney's works were greatly assisted by access to the production records held at Gaydon, which show such stuff like this in the 'optional extras' column.... :thumbs:
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